SBS World News Radio

There are more than 660,000 people with disabilities in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, a program meant to provide quality of life for its participants. But the scheme has undergone significant change, most recently legislation approved by Parliament in October 2024 limiting growth in the cost of the scheme to eight per cent a year. In this episode of the Too Hard Basket, we take a look at what's happened to the NDIS in the weeks since that bill was passed. For the federal government, the Scheme would not be sustainable without those changes - but advocates argue these cuts to the budget make little sense.

More than 400,000 people visit a Neighbourhood House or community centre each week across Australia. However, the frontline charity is struggling to meet soaring demand for services including food relief and financial support.

Parliament pushed through legislation for RBA reform which will see its board split into two. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with economist Saul Eslake to find out what it means for the central bank and the future direction of interest rates; plus the day on the sharemarket with Omkar Joshi from Opal Capital Management.

Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah are accusing each other of breaching a ceasefire which was signed just days ago. The truce aims to end more than a year of fighting after the October 7 attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas.

At least one million Ukrainians have been left without electricity after Russia attacked Ukraine's energy grid. Russia's strikes took place over several hours with drones and missiles targeting various locations, which Russian President Vladimir Putin says is in response to Ukraine's attacks.

Dozens of bills have passed through the Senate in Labor's last-minute effort to churn through its legislative backlog before the end of the year. Deals with the crossbench and the Coalition got the bills over the line, but the government has faced criticism for the lack of scrutiny for the bills.

More than one third of those suffering with an eating disorder are male, and yet there's a common misconception that it's a women's issue. While there are often similarities between how men and women experience eating disorders, there are also gendered aspects to unhealthy body image ideals among men. Iin this episode of Weekend One on One, Catriona Stirrat speaks with Dr Zac Seidler - clinical psychologist and Global Director of Research at Movember. Dr Seidler unpacks common types of eating disorders among men - often centring around a fixation with muscle enhancement and reducing body fat. He shares how genuine male friendships might be the answer to tackling this often silently fought mental health issue.

Settling into a new country is a daunting prospect. But a study over 10-years has found there are a variety of positive outcomes that refugees can experience in their first decade of living in Australia. Still, many face challenges with renewed calls for better policies to assist those who are struggling.

The ABS says renewable energy use continues to rise, so SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with UQ Professor John Quiggin to find out more; plus the day on the sharemarket including themes for 2025 with Morningstar Chief Investment Officer Matt Wacher.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have welcomed a decision by the International Criminal Court to request an arrest warrant for Myanmar's military leader. The warrant is for alleged crimes against humanity committed against Rohingya Muslims.The ICC's chief prosecutor says there are reasonable grounds to believe Min Aung Hlaing bears criminal responsibility for the persecution and deportation of Rohingyas to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Sri Lankan cricket allrounder Chamari Athapaththu has been a key player in the Sydney Thunder's run to Sunday's WBBL Grand Final. The 34 year old has extended her contract which runs for another two seasons and her army of fans are only set to grow if she can keep performing on the biggest stage.

The exhibition has been largely funded by the Atifete Foundation, created and owned by the first female president of Kosovo. She says survivors of sexual violence from the conflict continue to face stigma, twenty-five years after the end of the war.

Wednesday morning saw the Senate devolve into spectacular scenes of anger and vitriol as Senator Pauline Hanson pursued Fatima Payman over her possible Afghan citizenship.Insults, accusations and paperwork flew in the chamber as division reached fever pitch.

The bodies of Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles have been returned home following their deaths in Thailand. They were accompanied by their families who arrived back in Australia just hours after police arrested eight men over the suspected methanol poisonings, which took place in Laos while the pair were travelling through South East Asia.

Israel and Lebanon have accepted a US-backed proposal to end 13 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. US President Joe Biden says the accord is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities, though many remain sceptical the truce will hold. SBS's Claudia Farhart spoke to Dr Andrew Thomas, lecturer in Middle East Politics and International relations at Deakin University and asked him what the ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel means to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has launched a National Anti-Racism Framework - a comprehensive plan to tackle structural and systemic racism across all sectors of society. The Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, took up the post in March this year, carrying on the work originally commissioned by the Morrison Government in 2021. Mr Sivaraman, a former employment and human rights lawyer, spoke with SBS's Alexandra Jones about the roadmap to eliminating racism.

Labor's package of migration legislation will pass the Senate, with the Coalition agreeing to pass the three bills. The changes to the Migration Act would give the immigration minister powers to impose blanket visa bans on countries, pay third countries to deport non-citizens, and ban items like phones from detention centres.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah will take effect at 4am local time on Wednesday after both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France. US President Joe Biden says the accord is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities, though many remain sceptical the truce will hold.

Protests erupted in Islamabad as supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan breached barricades, leading to clashes that killed six people, injured dozens, and intensified Pakistan's political turmoil.

Online sales experts are warning consumers to remain vigilant against scams as they do their holiday shopping or try to make the most of the discount season. With frauds becoming even more sophisticated and difficult to discern, experts provide some useful advice on what to look out for and how to prepare.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has called on the Federal Government to set up a National Anti-Racism Taskforce. It's one of the key recommendations of a comprehensive plan .. commissioned by the Morrison Government and formally launched today, which sets out a plan to tackle structural and systemic racism.

In the United States, two of the most serious criminal cases against Donald Trump have been dropped. The prosecutor says the decision was not taken on merit ... but rather because Mr Trump is due to return to the White House next year. While there is a slim chance the cases could be picked up again after Trump's second term, experts say it's unlikely.

US President-elect Donald Trump has detailed some tariff policies, so SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Karen Jorritsma from RBC Capital Markets to find out what investors think about it, plus a look a SMSFs with Pivot Wealth Financial Adviser Ben Nash.

Israel and Lebanon are reportedly in the final stages of reaching a ceasefire deal to end fighting with Hezbollah. The United States and France have led negotiations, and the Israeli cabinet is expected to meet to agree to the terms.

At least one person has died and three others have been injured after a cargo plane crashed near Vilnius airport in Lithuania. The cause of the crash is still unclear but international leaders are calling for an investigation to examine whether the plane was sabotaged.

The Northern Territory Coroner has handed down her findings into the killing of four Aboriginal women by their partners. After a year-long inquiry, Elisabeth Armitage has painted a bleak picture of 'relentless violence' against women and children, with frontline agencies overwhelmed and underfunded. She has now made 35 recommendations calling for change.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with AMP Retirement Director Ben Hillier about what older Australians can do to make themselves feel more comfortable with the financial uncertainties associated with retirement. Plus the day on the sharemarket with Luke McMillan from Ophir Asset Management.

It could be the last sitting week before the next election, with key housing bills, and a social media ban, the priorities for the government. But the blame game has begun as Labor struggles to clear the logjam in negotiations with the Greens.

The COP-29 summit has ended without clear climate finance targets, highlighting divisions over funding commitments to tackle global warming and support vulnerable nations. A last-minute agreement on funding increases has failed to satisfy developing and developed countries, leaving key issues unresolved and raising doubts about the global response to the climate crisis.

The father of a Melbourne teenager who died in Laos due to suspected methanol poisoning is calling for a broader investigation into the incident. Another Australian was among six tourists who died after drinking tainted alcohol. After days of silence, Laotian officials have promised to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Social cohesion in Australia remains stable, but at a 17 year low, according to the Scanlon Foundation's annual report. Special Envoy for Social Cohesion, Peter Khalil spoke to SBS about the report, and his first four months in the role. This is Rania Yallop, and you're listening to Weekend One on One.

United Nations says 2024 has become the deadliest year on record for aid workers with the majority killed working for the U-N Agency for Palestinian Refugees. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes killed over 60 people in Lebanon and at least 38 in Gaza as the remaining hospitals warn fuel is nearly out.

A new million-dollar project from the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University is compiling the largest ever documentary history of Australia from an Indigenous perspective. Ngura Ninti, which means 'knowing home', is the first of its kind and aims to challenge the common understanding of Australian history as told through a colonial lens.

Research shows that speaking languages as well as English before the age of five can boost a range of learning outcomes. One Sydney pre-school is trialling a new immersive bi-lingual program, that aims to make learning fun, too.

For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have called for a formal treaty or treaties to recognise their sovereignty. Now, formal negotiations have begun in Victoria to establish the nation's first-ever treaty between a state and its First Nations people. But other countries including Canada, New Zealand and the United States began signing treaties centuries ago, so what's taken Australia so long?

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Sydney designer Katie Jane Taylor (Nee: Perry) about an appeal court's decision to force her to cancel her "Katie Perry" trademark which she has held for 15 years following legal action from singer Katy Perry; plus the ASX hits another record high as Tony Sycamore from IG Markets Securities Limited explains.

Israel's Prime Minister faces the prospect of being arrested if he travels to a country that is a member state of the International Criminal Court. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's former defence minister Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas leader for alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war.

Russia's use of a new mid-range ballistic missile - with a range of several thousand kilometres- to strike a Ukrainian city has raised concerns over the type of weaponry being used against civilians. It is the first time that Russia has used that specific type of weapon since the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.

At least a dozen cars have been vandalised in Sydney's eastern suburbs in what the Prime Minister has described as anti-semitism and deeply troubling to all Australians. New South Wales police are investigating the motivation of the incident and says it involved two offenders.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves takes a look at the day's top market news with Ben Clark from TMS Capital, including: NVIDIA's latest earnings report, the future of the Future Fund, and Mineral Resources' AGM as the company's managing director fronts shareholders.

China is aiming to be the first country in the world to develop what it calls the low-altitude economy, which could include passenger and cargo transport - as well as rapid-response emergency services.

The government has been stripped of support for its legislation to impose caps on foreign student numbers at Australian universities. Despite backing caps on student numbers, the opposition has declared it won't back the bill, facing criticism it's delaying measures that would reduce immigration.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now extended beyond 1,000 days. It has entered a new phase with a major shift in the position of the US and UK in agreeing to supply long-range missiles for Ukraine's use against targets inside Russia. That has had repercussions.

Two Melbourne teenagers remain on life support in separate Thai hospitals, after drinking what are believed to be poisoned cocktails in Laos. The parents of the 19-year-old girls in a critical condition from suspected methanol poisoning have rushed to be by their side.

Mary Wooldridge from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency goes through the progress of narrowing the gender pay gap; Andrew Barker from CEDA explains how incomes can be boosted by 20 per cent by undertaking at work training; and the day on the sharemarket with Stuart Roberts from Stocks Down Under including the results of Rio Tinto's workplace culture review.

The gender pay gap is still significant, but it appears to be narrowing. That's according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, which has released its yearly Gender Equality Scorecard. The agency says the improvement has been driven by higher wages, publication of pay gaps by individual employers... as well as a greater take-up of paid parental leave.

A Republican party bill has been introduced into the US Congress that aims to ban the first trans person elected to the House from using the women's restrooms on Capitol Hill next year. Speaker Mike Johnson has struggled to respond to the bill, while Democratic Party members have rejected the legislation, saying it is part of a pointless culture war.

Russia has accused Ukraine of firing longer range missiles supplied by the US into its territory, threatening to further escalate the conflict. It comes on the thousandth day since the start of the Russian invasion, with global leaders making a call for peace to prevail in the region.

Substantial coral losses on the Great Barrier Reef of up to 72 per cent have been recorded following extensive bleaching and natural disasters last summer. The declines have been noted in new research - from the Australian Institute of Marine Science - for more than half of its reefs surveyed between Lizard Island and Cardwell.

The Productivity Commissioner says Bunnings breached customer privacy by using facial recognition technology at some of its New South Wales and Victorian stores without consent, but the company says it was needed to protect the safety of their stakeholders. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Margarita Vladimirova from the Deakin Law School to find out more; plus the day on the sharemarket with Raymond Chan from Morgans.

One of New Zealand's largest-ever protest movements has concluded in Wellington. Tens of thousands of Kiwis took to the streets to oppose a government bill to re-define the Treaty of Waitangi, and how it is interpreted in law.